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The latest figures come as the Financial Services Authority (FSA)
confirmed reforms to protect consumers in what has become one of the
UK's biggest mis-selling scandals of recent years.

The FSA said the measures - which come into force on December 1 -
were designed to 'mend a market that has been broken for too long'.

Its new rules include a handbook to ensure complaints are handled
properly and an open letter setting out common sales failings to help
firms identify bad practice.

The FSA has so far taken action against 24 firms and handed out nearly £13 million in fines for PPI failings.

PPI covers debt repayments if the holder is ill or loses their job,
often sold alongside personal loans, credit cards and mortgages.

But bad sales practice in the sector and the cost of premiums have
seen PPI become the single most complained about product to the FOS.
It said it received 21,417 complaints since April 1 - up almost 60% on a year earlier - with 1,896 in the past week.

PPI sellers reject on average around half of all complaints they
receive, but around 30% go on to the FOS where 81% are overturned in
the consumer's favour.

The FOS hopes the FSA's measures will see consumer complaints fall
over time as firms deal with them better in the first place, although
it said it is likely to take time for firms to train staff properly.

'Consumers deserve to get an early Christmas present from firms and
not have to wait until the new December 1 deadline,' said vice chairman
Kay Blair.

The FSA has already banned single premium PPI on unsecured loans.
A number of major firms have also pulled out of the market - including
Lloyds Banking Group, which stopped selling PPI for loans, credit cards
and mortgages across all its brands late last month.